I think the provincial is going to be too dark for your cabs/walls/lighting. I also have an issue with "professionals" using Minwax...Minwax is not considered "professional grade" by any stretch of the imagination. It has some "off gassing" issues even with their "oil modifed" combination. The Minwax products also yellow over time...because they are solvent based products. The gray/brown they want to offer would slowly turn yellow/orange over time. If the builder wants to use this line-up, then DuroSeal is the one to play with. It is made by Minwax. It is the "professional" grade product and comes in water based finishes that do NOT turn yellow with time (also have much lower VOC content/off-gassing issues).

If you want to warm up the colours than a lighter version of this colour would work (DuroSeal line-up NOT minwax) or you can stay cool (like the photo you show) and work with a "natural" clear coat = slightly gold colour over white oak. A clear coat/natural finish will allow the oak to slowly fade (loose the gold/orange colour) to cool colours (cork does this as well).

A natural white oak floor that has faded should be the same colour as "sun burnt straw". The "orange" of oak comes from the solvent based finishes = ambering over time = orange floor.

DaVill Blinds, thanks, it's unfinished now. I need to decide on a color or natural finish. And I do like the unfinished color but my better half thinks it may need some warmth.

Cancork Floor, thanks for the detailed info. I'll look for the DuroSeal color chart. Would you have a preference color?

Here is the white oak with stain white color if you like it

If you like the look of the natural colour, then work with a "clear coat" water based polyurethane. To get an understanding of the "finished" colour, simply wipe down an area with a little water. The "colour" you see when wet = the colour you end up with when finished in a "non-yellowing clear coat".

As I'm 2000mi away from the house and need to have this decided on and done within 2 weeks, I have a sister going over to wet and photo the floor tomorrow. Probably go with either the water based or warmer oil based satin at this point.

We have Duraseal provincial (on red oak) and like it. It just depends what you like, the lighting in the room and your situation. We have kids and dogs, so darker stains would be bad. The kitchen is also somewhat dark in the summer. Dark floors would make it darker. I think white oak is a more neutral shade of wood and would look good with provincial. Have you looked up photos on Houzz with the different stains? Pics of floor in kitchen.

If there is anyway to get the builder to do a stain/finish "mock up" on some planks and have your sister FEDEX them to you (spend the extra money on this decision...you HAVE to sign off on it or else it gets UGLY). Make the decision with product IN HAND.

Your sister can take photos of the product AT THE HOUSE then wrap and ship. This way you can have the photos in your hand AT THE SAME TIME. You can make an informed decision this way. That way you have recourse (colour plank in hand) if you arrive and the floor looks "wrong". If the sample plank you gave the OK on is NOT the same as the floor finish then you have some ability to get a correction at a greatly reduced cost.

This is something you want to spend an extra $50 - $100 on. It is worth it. Trust me.

this is provincial from minwax over red oak.

Cancork Floor Inc., which brand stain would you suggest using?

I just installed white oak (rift & quartered) in my house. I'm doing a matte finish - clear - with Carver Epsilon because I like the look of the actual wood as it is, and don't want it to yellow (and have twin 6 year old boys so want it to be durable). But, if you are looking for a slightly warmer color, why not pick something like Rubio Monocoat or similar. It is considered an "oiled" floor - not a polyurethane floor, so it is more natural. I haven't used it myself, but many designers I've talked to recommend it for several reasons. Again, I ended up with a water based finish product, but this was a close runner up. As for color, if you did the natural color, it will slightly warm up the wood.

Oh, and the finishing process with the oiled floors is much easier, so should cost less. With the product I referenced, it is just 1 coat (hence "monocoat").

Agree with Cancork. I have minwax provincial on floors at home and it ambers very much over time and becomes orangey. I tend to like something like the special walnut, but would want to see an actual sample of it on the wood before making a decision. It is far too expensive to redo and hard to live with if you don't like it. Don't let someone else's time frame push you into making a decision without getting enough information to do so.

Flooring sub is putting down stain samples including neutral this week with the direction of a local interior designer. I talked to the Duraseal rep also and he ran me through the process for using Duraseal Clear and Max water based finishes. Sounds pretty good.

whatever the grant I will be should be the floors.if hardwood get wide plank or tile get the big wide tiles..it will make the space feel wider

I would say keep it light and natural. Using either a Bona Naturale or an oil finish.